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Monthly Archives: September 2016

Tension is rising in Assam over the Hindu migrants issue and is likely to rise further. Joining hands of nearly 30 ‘jatiatabadi’ (nationalistic) groups is a strong signal for the troubles looming over Assam. Neighbouring states of Assam would not be spared too when Hindu migrants, especially who came in recent years, would start getting citizenship as per the government policy. The problem will aggravate as the government, at the same time, would not give the same treatment to Muslim Bangladeshi migrants, who are many more in numbers that that of Hindus. More, if there is any step to deport the Muslims while giving red carpet to Hindus, the situation will definitely go out of control.

There are several lakhs of Hindus settled in the North-east, mostly in Assam, in over a century. Many of them have come even after 1971, the year which according to the Assam Accord is the deadline for accepting any settler from Bangladeshi in the state. While the Muslims migrated to India due to economic reasons, most Hindus came either after facing religious persecution in Bangladesh or to be near their brethren, who had already settled in the region. Most of the migrants – both Hindus and Muslims – have assimilated with the local culture. But a huge section, especially those who came after Independence and Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, almost remained untouched by the local culture, which is why the concern over demographic change is gaining more takers.

If the country as well as Assam and the North-east have to bring out a solution to the influx issue, granting citizenship to the Bengali Hindus is an easier option for the government than to deport them. On the other hand it is easier for the pressure groups to oppose their citizenship than to convince their ‘own’ people that there is no other alternative. If their demand for deporting the tens of lakhs of Bangladeshi migrants – Hindus and Muslims – had to be met, there will be a mass migration which is not possible without large-scale violence. North-east cannot afford such a situation.

(Published as editorial in The Meghalaya Guardian on September 30, 2016)

Hyderabad is under floods, second time in just two months. The capital of one of the driest states of the country if facing what many other cities have been reeling for years, if not decades. This is not only an Indian phenomenon. Our policy makers sometimes take refuge to the global menace when confronted with questions about floods. Former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi once famously said, “Even America faces flood”, when sought his comment on the perennial flash floods in Guwahati.

It’s a cliché that artificial floods in cities are mainly caused by filling up of lakes, swamps, ponds, marshy land and even grassland. Yet the policy makers find solutions in just making new drains, heightening roads, building guard walls and embankments. Most residents affected by flash floods tries the most obvious solution – earth filling in the campus. Some even go to the extent of filling up an entire ground floor. These are unavoidable measures as the damage was done decades ago. But what about preventing upcoming cities from such situation, and avoiding ‘concrete’ solutions? What about securing so-far-virgin areas where cities are coming up in future? Can’t we expect that much of vision from our lawmakers and policymakers.

Given the skyrocketing prices of land, it is foolish to expect landowners to have a future vision for the society and not sale land for building apartments and houses. Cities are expanding. New cities coming up. The government can intervene and buy such virgin land for making buffer zones when there will be a city in no time. These areas can have lakes, water sport facilities, and playing fields. There should also be regulations on the ratio of the area in a residential campus to be left without any concrete cover, so that some portion of rainwater goes down the earth. Most of the rainwater received in cities go down the concrete drains without touching the Mother Earth, before falling into the river. Even many of the streams and rivers in cities are now converted into concrete drains. It’s time to think wide and act bold to tackle the twin problems of floods and fast-slipping groundwater level.

(Published as editorial in The Meghalaya Guardian on September 23, 2016)

The Supreme Court order extending the coal transport deadline by further eight months is a great relief for the coal miners and traders. It will also revive a huge source of revenue for the state which has very few avenues to fill its exchequer. The National Green Tribunal (NGT), after granting several extensions for transport of the remaining extracted coal, has refused to give any further extension and asked the government to take possession of the coal and auction it. It has been over two years since the NGT banned coal mining and its transportation in its order on April 17, 2014. Given the several extensions granted to the mine owners and traders to transport the remaining extracted coal, NGT in its last order refused to allow it anymore. The NGT’s tough stand was also boosted by the fact that coal mining continued despite the ban in some interior areas and hundreds of trucks carrying coal were seized during the restricted period.

The repeated pleas by mining bodies to grant extension after extension to ferry the remaining coal gives rise to the question if the time given so far to sell and transport the coal out of the state was not enough. It is not known as to how the petitioners have satisfied the NGT several times and the Supreme Court this time in this aspect of the issue. According to government statistics, around 30 lakh MT already extracted coal is yet to be transported out of the state. The coal lying in the open is a concern for the NGT as it had banned the mining considering the opening dumping one of the reasons for severe pollution in the rivers, some of which are already ‘dead’. It is certain that the mine owners/ traders had enough time to transport the extracted coal, but for certain factors hindering the process.

The prime reason for the very slow rate of transport of the coal in the past two-and-a-half years is the low price of coal. While most small miners sold out their coal due to lack of financial back-up the coal barons are still waiting for the ban to be lifted so that the prices go up. On the other hand, buyers from outside are taking advantage of the situation and have not offered good prices leading to the pile-up. Illegal mining, although may not be on a large scale, also contributed to the static figure of yet-to-be-transported extracted coal. If such situation is allowed to continue, which will not go unnoticed from the Supreme Court, various associations and the state government will just end up appealing for extension of the transportation deadline, again and again. Withdrawal of the ban would remain a distant dream.

(Published as editorial in The Meghalaya Guardian on September 23, 2016)

It seems there is another planet across the Wagah border. Even worse! Indians too aspire for establishing link with aliens. The movie ‘PK’ is a manifestation of the imagination. Yet people on either sides of the border have only been taught all along to hate each other. Mainstream media, inspired by political strategists, play a great role in keeping up the enmity. Even Bollywood plays a great role. Barring exceptions like ‘Bajrangi Bhaijan’ there are hundreds of films, although the number is declining, made on the theme of enmity with Pakistan, showing how villainous the latter is.

Of late, prime minister Narendra Modi has been on an offensive against Pakistan, declaring the latter the only nation promoting terror in the region, and needs to be isolated and sanctioned. He was right going by adamant attitude of the Pakistani establishment on the issue of Kashmir and it sympathy, not to speak about aid, to violent elements in the ‘disputed’ region. Pakistan government might have its own reasons too. There is no doubt violent elements need to be curbed. Perhaps, common people of Pakistan like Indians are on the ‘same page’ on the issue. But their way of looking at the Kashmir issue might be different. It’s the ruling class, the mainstream media, and other interest groups that always want to show paint the whole country, both India and Pakistan, with the same brush.

The fights between the countries – four wars already fought – have always been decided by the ruling class. It’s not evident if the people of any of the country have gained anything out of the wars. Yet the country means its people and land, not only those ruling it. Why should it be termed as war between India and Pakistan and not between the governments of both the countries? Why should we say India slams Pakistan and not Indian government slams Pakistan? Politicians while making statements should always use a caveat that he or she is not saying about the people living in the other country but its leader, government or any agency, terrorist group etc. The common people may not be willing to be party to the statement. As those Bollywood cinemas showing Pakistan as bad guy has few takers nowadays, let’s hope to hear positive stories promoting bonhomie between the nations, which got separated just seven decades ago.

(Published as editorial in The Meghalaya Guardian on September 9, 2016)

Imagine life 30 years back. Your ‘location’ was not known by many people, let alone agencies. If you didn’t have a land phone, which was quite a possibility, it was very difficult to locate you outside your home or office/ work place. Unless you are a famous person, your permanent address is known only to your office or co-workers, friends and people in your locality. If someone had to find you, he or she had to come to your office or house to know your current location.

But now?

There may be the same number of individuals knowing your current location, and even fewer as people travel much more frequently than 30 years ago. Sometimes even your family members do not know where you have gone. To know that they have to call you on your mobile phone, and you have to tell the truth! But, at the same time, there are hundreds of entities (apps) from around the world trying to know your ‘location’ every second. Thousands of them already know your location. They follow you wherever you go. You are least bothered because you do not know what harm they can do by following you? And why? You have done nothing wrong!

Besides the apps, a number of organisations like banks, insurance companies, governments, car dealers, hospitals, shop owners etc., know your address. In all, lakhs of people – good or bad – know your address and location every moment. You don’t know if this can be harmful to you, ever. Nobody knows. But the world is running this way. You have to accept it!

The government itself has many agencies having your bio data and even biometrics. Aadhar, passport and even office attendance record biometrics. National Population Register is another platform where details of all people residing in India are being recorded. Even some municipalities have their own registers of citizens. All these are necessary exercises. Rest of the world has done it. We can’t be left behind.

One such mechanism is the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Bill which seeks to keep records of all citizens living especially in urban areas. However, the Bill has drawn controversy following NGOs’ opposition to bringing indigenous people under its ambit. Some amendments have been prepared and likely to be tabled in the coming assembly session. Details, which could be sensitive, are not known. However, the Bill will serve little purpose if only non-tribals are to be asked to submit residential records. A law violator can be of any race. Should such elements enjoy privilege just because they are sons of the soil?

(Published as editorial in The Meghalaya Guardian on September 9, 2016)

A PIL, an Act passed by the Meghalaya assembly and the stubborn stand of a politician have created a lot of confusion about the people’s perception about an ‘office of profit’. Many say it’s a battle between PN Syiem, the incumbent chief of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) and the chief minister Mukul Sangma. The PIL filed by Civil Society Women’s Organsiation (CSWO) president Agnes Kharshiing against holding of dual posts also played a major part in the episode. While the Meghalaya High Court gave a ruling in favour of PN Syiem recently while citing an order from the Governor, which was passed based on advice from Election Commission of India (ECI), the battle is not over yet. The chief minister’s latest remark that the MLAs have to hold dual posts “at their own risk” signals a lot more in store.

Leaving aside Constitutional provisions and rules and Acts framed by the state assembly – which of course cannot be ‘left aside’ – a person taking salary from public exchequer through two different positions should be considered as office of profit. This is a layman’s perspective. The office of the district council may not be included as one as ‘office of profit’. A person gets elected from the same constituency to two different Houses, which is also questionable as to how he can justify his obligations to both the public offices. And if the representative can fulfill both the obligations, why not from the same office? Why does he need a different House and separate salary. Does he work like a super human being? Here comes the question of the very relevance of the autonomous district councils for which a PIL is already pending with the High Court.

Meanwhile, there is a down side to having two different elected representatives from one constituency. A common man does not understand the different subjects of district council and state government. For him, his elected representative has to bring solution to all his problems. All these arguments again raise question on the relevance of district council. Some north-eastern states, during formation, did not opt for district councils and brought the whole state under one administration. There is no evidence of these states getting detached from their cultural and traditional roots, more than Meghalaya, over the decades. Meghalaya needs to ponder as to how long it can afford the continuous tussle between district councils and government, at the cost of the public interest?

(Published as editorial in The Meghalaya Guardian on September 3, 2016)

Holding dual posts is finally allowed in Meghalaya. Although the Meghalaya High Court has not exactly said this, but its order in favour of those elected representatives in the state assembly as well as district council meant nothing less. Both the member of legislative assembly (MLA) and member of district council (MDC) are paid salary from taxpayers’ money. And yet they are not to be considered office of profit, thanks to some constitutional loopholes. It was that loophole that gave a fresh lease life to Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) chief PN Syiem, who is one of the ‘dual post’ holders. He remained adamant and refused to resign even as seven of his colleagues quit their posts in district council following the government passing an Act against the dual posts.

The high court order was based on an order of the governor which, after taking advice from the Election Commission of India (ECI), refused to take action against PN Syiem. The ECI order is perhaps based on the fact that holding office in district council is not mentioned in the book of law as an ‘office of profit’. But it clearly is. Otherwise, why on earth the MLA/MDC would try so hard to cling onto both the posts? There must be some ‘profit’.

The state government recently passed an Act, which has become redundant now after the high court order, against holding of dual posts. The Act was nothing but striking off a clause incorporated after the statehood to ensure that all erstwhile MDCs can become MLAs as well so that they need not share their constituency with others in the different Houses. However, over the years the number of MDCs becoming MLAs has declined, but some still continued to get the double privilege that led to lodging of a PIL by the Civil Society Women’s Organisation (CSWO). Although the PIL fell flat before the high court declaring that becoming an MLA and MDC at the same time is no crime, the court also allowed the petitioner to challenge the governor’s order itself. It is still far to declare that holding dual posts would still remain a practice in Meghalaya, despite the high court relief. Fingers are crossed.

(Published as editorial in The Meghalaya Guardian on September 2, 2016)